Toronto Maple Leafs Best Ten Game Stretch Yet This Season

 It’s a good time to be a fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have exceeded even my lofty expectations of them – I predicted an 8-2-0 record over this ten game stretch.

Record over last ten games: 9-0-1
Goals for: 41
Goals against: 16

Not only are they 9-0-1 over the last ten games, but they have picked up points in 15 straight games.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Ten Games at a Time

The Leafs had an absolutely ridiculous month of November, only losing one game in regulation, and they have continued that absurd pace into December.

With three shutouts in five games, the team defense has lead the way in this ten game stretch, allowing only 16 goals. The offence has picked up as well with their best ten game stretch of scoring, averaging over 4 goals per game.

Not only have the Toronto Maple Leafs been on a torrid pace as a team, but their players are helping to establish them as a top team in the league. Mitch Marner is on a 23 game point streak, William Nylander is having another career season, and John Tavares seems to be rejuvenated. What’s most impressive of all is that the Maple Leafs have done this, mostly, without Morgan Reilly, Jake Muzzin and, until recently, TJ Brodie.

Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren have continued their success from last season, and established themselves as solid top four blue liners. While, Mark Giordano and Justin Holl are playing top-pairing minutes on the league’s top team for $3 million combined.

Current Position in Standings:

2nd  in Atlantic Division
3rd  in Eastern Conference
3rd  in NHL

No team in the league has been as hot as the Toronto Maple Leafs over the last couple of weeks.

The Boston Bruins are still winning a lot of games, but the Maple Leafs are closing the gap bit by bit.

A month ago the Bruins were comfortably leading the division by more than 10 points, and now the Maple Leafs are only three points behind.

The two teams have only played once so far this year, a 2-1 win for the Maple Leafs, but have three more dates before the season is up. Toronto has a legitimate shot of catching Boston and overtaking the top of the division, paving a slightly easier path to going on a deep playoff run.

First overall in the entire league is a reasonable goal for the

Leafs to obtain at this point. If Ilya Samsonov and Matt Murray remain healthy and continue to play at the level they have in their first 11 and 10 games respectively, there is a good chance Toronto could be adding a President’s Trophy to their mantle.

Matthews Rocket Richard watch:

Goals in last 10 games: 6
Total Goals: 15
Odds to win Rocket: +850

Auston  Matthews still has not been scoring at the clip that we have become accustomed to, but since the Leafs are winning no one seems to mind.

As other players around the league continue to pile up goals, Matthews sits at only 15 total in 30 games, 11 behind the current leader Connor McDavid.

It’s beginning to look like the Rocket Richard is drifting out of reach, however, if anyone can close an 11 goal gap in 50 games it is certainly Auston Matthews. It is still worth taking a shot at high odds, as Matthews proved last year – scoring 51 goals in 50 games –  he can go on an absurd scoring stretch.